knock



Feb. 7, 1956 c. B. KNocK 2,733,576

SAFETY DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATORS Fild Feb, 23, 1955 Ilm* HHIMNMMMA f/ G. 5 I ii/f7 5/4 55 25//5,/ 37 www l I r l l l l 55 INVENTOR. T :Q ae//v /wac/f BY United States Pattt() 2,733,576 SAFETY DEvIc'E EUR l Corbin, Knock, Ashland, rs. Aspiranten February ze, ibss; sisl'aaa'ni 3 claims.- (errata-1&9)`

This invention relates to refrigerators, and'rnore'particularly to a safety device to prevent children from being locked in refrigeratorsfwhen suchrefrigerators are not muse. Y 1

A mainA object of the inventionis to provide riovel and improved safety device for insuring f that arefrigerator door cannot be locked when the refrigerator is not in use, saidsafety device involving simple parts,; being reliable in operation, and beingeasyto resetso that Vthe V refrigerator with which itisa'sso'ciated may be placed 1n use.

f A furtherobject of theinvention isto provide animproved safety device adapted to be installed in a refrigerator and being arranged sothatthe doorl latch element of the refrigerator Vwill be rendered` inoperative when the .refrigerator isinot in` its normal use, thusprevenfti-ng the refrigerator door from locking, the safety device involving inexpensive components, being compact in size, and being durable in construction.y

Further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following Adescription and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse vertical gross sec- .,tional view taken through a refrigeratorprovidedwith an improved safety device according to the present invention Y Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional 'view taken on vthelline 2-2 of Figure l.,

`Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional detail view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse cross sectional View taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5V is a cross sectional viewgsimilar toFigure 1 but showing the refrigerator disconnected rm itS -POW 1` receptacle and illustrating the manner in, which ythe door latch elementi of the refriger'atorjis disengaged f ronrthe v latch element inoperative. t

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on Ithe line 6-1-6 of Figure 5 VFigure 7 is a fragmentary'sectional view taken on the detent member of thesafety device to render the door line 7-H- 7'ofFigure 1;

gure 8 is a fragmentary sectional-view taken on the Aline 8 -8 of Figure l. 1 l;

Y Referring to the drawing s, 11 generally designates 'a conventional refrigerator having a rear wal1 -12 and having a frontwall element 13 extendingparallel to' the rear wall 12 and provided with a door latch element 14 whichis s lidably mounted 'in the front wall`el'ement 13 4for horizontal movement and which i s adapted toV lockingly engage with a refrigerator doork 10 hinged to the feffigefaff adiassllttha frsatwall ,element 13, fhefdoor latch elemen't' 14 beinglockingly engageable with the detent bolt 14a of the refrigerator door only when the door latch velement 14 is held in a stationary position in the front Wall element 13. l

Designated at 15 is a transversely extending horizontal angle bar which is secured in the refrigerator between the 2,133,576 `atented Feb. 7, 1956 A1 ce re'rw'all 12 andthe frontwall elementgt Secured on the herizotal ag?? of an'glebar 15 adjacent'the frontwall elejme'nt'fl" is an upwardly facing Vchannel b ar 16 having the intumeamp edges 17, 11. Desigaafed'at 5 1 8 isanelongated detent bar"whichf is arranged above and parallel tothe bottornV ilangeofthe'angle bar 15 and which is received between the'in'turned top edges `17, 17 `of the channel memberll Securedto the forwardfportion ofthedetent bar 18"is` a platernernber 19 engaging beneath the inturn'rl' t'op'edges`17, 17 of thev channel member; 16, wherebj thedetent` bar 18 is restrained against upward movement relative to the channel-.merrib'er 16. Secured on fwardend of Vthe detent b'ar'lS is a `bracket 21 of' chanel sh ape f, in which is secured a detent element 22, said element 22 being positioned b`e` tween respective spacer' blocks 23, 23, as'shown inl Figure 3, the detent element 22 and Yspacer blocks" 23,v 23 being secured in] the channelshaped bracket 21 by a transverse rivet 24. The detent element 22 projects forwardly'with respect to the bracket member 21' and is arranged to enter an peniriginthe frontwall element 13 and engage with a notch 14 in the1 door* latch elementf 14 to hold said door latch'A element stationary when the detent bar 18is inits forward positionl shownin Figures l and 2. Secured to theintermediate prtion'ofthe angle bar 1'5 is theu'pstandng bracket25 to which is securedthe generally C-shaped guide member 26. A vertical locking bolt 27 is slidably engaged through the arms of the C-'shape'd member, 2 6, acoiled spring 28 surrounding the intermediate portion 'of the bolt V27and bearing on a washer 29 securedto the lower-'portion of the bolt, biasing thebolt downwardly. Secured tothe lower end of the bolt 27 isa locking element 430 whichtis' normally engagedon the top wall31f a shoulder member 3 2 se- 35 cured to 4the rearend portionl of the detent bar 18. Designated at A33 is a cpiled springconnectedbetween the stationary bracket 2 5 and the bottoin guide plate 19 associated with the bracket member 21 at the forward end of the detent bar 18, the 'sprirg'Y 33 urging the detent bar rearwardly. The spring 33 is of sufcient strength to rnvethedeteut b arQ18 rearw rdl shoe element 30 to 'slipv down front ofthe shoulder elementv to prevent the detent bar( 1 8 from being returned rto' i t`s` forward position; shown in Figures l and 2 unt il the bolt" 2 7 is'elevatedto an unlocking'positiori, forexa'r'nplfe, in 'tliemannershown ir`1 Figures 5 and 6. shown in Figures 5 and 6, an elongated tool 3 4, a screwdriver, 'or the l'ilte`, rnfy be engaged 'through' an aperture 35' in thefrontwml 'element 13, the tool 34v preferably' having a` b`ifurcat e 4 blade 35 and being engageable beneath theA 2 9, Wlierebytheblt element 27 may li 'ted`by exerting' sl'l'liciertA elevating f oree on the 5.011.342.. ff t 'lfh'el 'detent bar 1S is` formed yat its rear end with the upwar y' projectingfia'nge '37'. Designated at 38 is an abutment pin`fwhich isslid'ably engagedtlrrough a Vguide Sleeve 39 mountedih the rear Wfall 12 ofthe refrigerator in "alignment with th`e` ange l37, the'prilihaving they abutment'head 4 0 which is' "gageable the front surface Desigriatedat 42 isthe conur'd in the rear wall -1-2 of the ar ngedso thatits prongs 43 p( Aelefllfwhrenthe refrigerator is moved to bri1`ig its rea-rfwall 12 closely `adjacent to the receptacle' l41, as `shown vin Figure 1'. The plug 42 is connected to the refrigerator operatingV circuit,` said 'circuit being energized Iwhen-the prongs 43 `ofthe'plug 42 1are engaged in the receptacle41- in the 'm'an'erhowin Figure 1.

It will be understood that the receptacle 41 is secured to the wall of the room in' which the refrigerator is used at the proper height so that the refrigerator plug 42 may y 'and tothus allow the be engaged n the receptacle and so that simultaneously the abutment head 40 of the abutment pin38 will engage against the receptacle when the refrigerator is moved to bring the prongs 43 of `plug 4Z intoelectrical connection with the prong-receiving apertures of the receptacle.

When the refrigerator is to beplaced in use, the bolt 27 is elevated by the tool 34 inthe manner above described, and the refrigerator is moved rearwardly Ito cause the prongsv43 of plug 42 to enter the receptacle openings, while simultaneously the abutment headv 40 of the abutment member 38 engages the receptacle, causing the abutment member ,38 to exert a force against the flange 37 moving the detent bar 18 forwardly and causing thel element 22v at the forward end of the detent bar tolinterengage with the door latch element 14. This provides the arrangement 'shown in Figures 1 and 2, whereby the refrigerator door will be locked in its normal manner and will `cooperate with the latch element 14 so Vthat the refrigerator door may be opened and closed as desired. When the Vrefrigerator is no longer in use, the refrigerator is moved away from the wall and from the receptacle 41, whereby the abutment pin 3S is released, and whereby the coiled spring 33 retracts the latch bar 18 so that Ythe locking element 22 is disengaged from the door latch element 14, rendering the vdoor latch element y14 inoperative so that the refrigerator door can no longer he locked in its normal manner. As above explained, when this occurs, the foot element 30 of bolt 27 slips down in front of the shoulder 32, preventing the latch bar 18 from being moved forwardly. k

It will be readily apparentV that by the use of the above described safety device, it will be impossible to lock the refrigerator door when the refrigerator is not in use, and thus possibility .of Vchildren being locked in the unused refrigerator is completely eliminated.

While a specific embodiment of an improved safety devicev for a refrigerator has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modi- 1 limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

lcations within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Y Therefore, it is intended that no l. In a refrigerator of the type having a rear wall and A a refrigerator door hinged to the refrigerator adjacent said front wall element, a safety latch device comprising l a support mounted transversely in the refrigerator between said rear wall and said front wall element, a detent member slidably mounted on said'support and being interengageable with said door latch element to hold said door latch element in latching position, spring means urging said detent member away from said door latch element, a horizontal abutment member slidably mounted in and extending outwardly from said rear wall and being engageable with the end of said detent member, and a plug mounted in said rear wall and being connected to the refrigerator operating circuit, said plug being engageable in a wall mounted receptacle to complete the operating circuit, said abutment member being located adjacent said plugin a position to engage an abutment'surface provided on said wall mounted receptacle, whereby to hold said detent member in engagementrwith said door latch element` when the plug is engagedrin the receptacle and to allow the detent member to be,.retracted from engagement with the door latch element when the plug front wall element and adapted to lockingly engage with a refrigerator door hinged to the refrigerator adjacent said front wall element, a "safety latch device comprising a support mounted transversely in the refrigerator between said rear wall and said front Wall element, a detent member slidably mounted on said support and being interengageable with said door latch element to hold said door latch element in latching position, spring means urging said detent member away from said door latch element, a horizontal abutment member slidably mounted in and extending outwardly from said rear wall and being engageable with the end of said detent member, a. plug mounted inv said rear wall and being connected to the refrigerator operating circuit, saidplug being engageable in a wall mounted receptacle to complete the operating circuit, said abutment member being located adjacent said plug in a position to engage an abutment surface provided on said wall mounted receptacle, whereby` to hold said detent member in engagement with said door latch element when the plug is engaged in the receptacle and to allow the detent member to be retracted from engagement with vthe door latch element when the plug is disconnected from the receptacle, and a vertically movable locking bolt lockingly engageable with said detent member to prevent movement ofsaid detent member toward said door latch element after the plug has been disconnected from the receptacle. y

3. In a refrigerator of the type having a rear wall and a front wall element parallel to said rear wall provided with 'a door latch elementslidable horizontally in said front wall element and adapted to lockingly engage with a refrigerator door hinged to the refrigerator adjacent said front Wall element, a Vsafety latch device comprising a support mounted transversely in the refrigerator between said rear wall and said front wall element, a detent member slidably mounted on said support and being interengageable with said Vdoorlatch element to hold said door latch element in latching position, spring means urging said (detent member away from said door latch element, a horizontal abutment member slidably mounted in and extending outwardly'from said rear wall and being engageable with the end of said detent member, a plug mounted in said rearV wall'and being connected to the refrigerator operating circuit, said plug being engageable in a'wall mounted receptacle to complete the operating circuit, said abutment member beinglocated adjacent said Vpliig in a position to engage an abutment surface provided Aon said wall mounted receptacle, whereby to hold said detent member in engagement with said door latch element when the plug is engaged in the receptacle andftofallow the detent member to be retracted from engagement'with the door latch element when the plug is disconnected fromthe receptacle, a bracket mounted on said'support, a verticallyrnovable bolt slidably mounted on said bracket and located over said detent member, spring means biasing said bolt downwardly onrsaid detent member, and a forwardly facing shoulder on said detent member and having ahorizontal top surface, said. bolt being engageable by said shoulder to prevent the detent member from being moved toward said door latch element' after the detent member has been retracted by the action of the first-named spring means, said bolt being at Ytimes manually movable t o a position over said horizontal top surface of the shoulder to free said detent member for engagement with the doorlatch element.

Referencesv Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

